Can someone just shut this guy up!

Lonzo Ball played exactly one season at UCLA this year and showed the NBA that he is ready to compete for top billing at next month's NBA draft. While UCLA was a necessary stopover for the future star, it has taken him less than two months to wear out his welcome! Not do to anything that he did, but more so by everything his father didn't do - as in shut his own mouth!

LaVarr Ball, Lonzo's father, has already earned a reputation as a unabashed loud-mouth that is only setting his kid up to fail. Sure, Lonzo is a great player and can have a solid NBA career. But calling him the greatest prospect of all-time? Really? After piloting a UCLA team that missed the Final Four, he chimed in that there was no way to win because Lonzo had three white teammates who could not keep up? Really?

Then, in the infinite wisdom of this @#%@#%, Lonzo by-passes a multi-million dollar endorsement deal from a Nike, Adidas or other company to instead be the face of the company for a brand-new shoe company that LaVarr is starting and his new signature shoe which has a starting price of $495 and only available on his website. Really? Oh, by the way, the listing says the shoes will not ship until Nov. 24 and buyers may be out of luck if the shoes don't fit since there will be no refunds or exchanges.

When others, including Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, criticized the price, LaVar Ball answered his critics on Twitter , writing: ''If you can't afford the ZO2'S, you're NOT a BIG BALLER!'' No, maybe they're just not @#@%-holes! This from a guy who couldn't get a Division I scholarship as a basketball player but says he would "destroy" Michael Jordan 1-on-1.

Lonzo Ball might turn out to be a great player. But, if he can't muzzle his dad, he will only have a tougher road to get there. NBA players will be making sure that he has the roughest road to greatness. Expect some physical play, hard fouls, etc. because they will all bring it on and make Lonzo earn the respect his father is currently destroying for him. I have not watched enough of the kid play yet, but right now, I am more interested in seeing him fail than I would be rooting for him to come to my favorite team and be the cancer most teams try to avoid.

More to come...

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